North Northamptonshire Council launch taxi ‘de-zoning’ consultation in bid to merge licensing area

North Northamptonshire Council have launched a new consultation to review the existing taxi zones across the region.

The aim of this consultation is to determine whether the current four zones - Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering, and Wellingborough - should remain in place or be replaced with a single zone for the entire area of North Northamptonshire.

Since the formation of North Northamptonshire Council, the previous taxi licensing zones from the former authorities have been maintained. This has resulted in each zone having its own taxi licensing system, with separate licences required for both drivers and vehicles. Furthermore, the existing byelaws for each former area are currently in effect.

This arrangement poses several challenges for drivers and operators who wish to operate across the entirety of North Northamptonshire, as they would need to obtain licences from all four zones. The council seeks to address these issues and streamline the licensing process through the consultation.

The consultation and engagement activities for the taxi de-zoning can be completed online via the North Northamptonshire Council's Consultation and Engagement Hub. Interested parties and stakeholders are encouraged to participate and provide their feedback on the proposed changes. The consultation will remain open until 21 January 2024.

Cllr David Brackenbury, the council’s Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration (which covers taxi licensing), said: “Since North Northamptonshire Council came into existence, we have been looking at all legacy systems across the four areas and reviewing, where necessary.

“The proposal is to remove the former authority area hackney carriage zones and to replace them with one hackney carriage zone for North Northants. It makes sense to look and consider whether this a viable option, but there are also a variety of elements to consider and to do this - we need the views of residents and stakeholders, including those who use taxis and drivers. This is why this consultation is so important and all responses will be carefully considered.”

Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council, said: “We recognise that changes like this can have an impact on everyone, which is why I am pleased we are now in a position to consult on the proposals. Once the 12-week consultation has concluded, responses will be gathered together and presented to the relevant committee for their consideration, before the Executive make a final decision.”